quite a lot of leverage is required to pull arm/balljoint down from strut. G-clamp on arm (with some packing) gives something to lever down upon

NB - the Haynes manual advises you should not lever down on the lower-arm the separate the balljoint from the knuckle as it will damage the rear bush on the lower arm. They advise the subframe should be lowered. Tool ate for me to do that now but it might not be as much hassle as it sounds.

The reason I used the leverage technique is that I saw on YouTube that garages have a special tool to pull the lower arm down (big lever which presses against engine and has hook which goes onto lower arm) and it was only after successfully doing this that I read the caution in the Haynes manual

i've always put a block of wood on the jack, jacked the hub up (usually on the disc) a bit, then stuck a big long bar over the top of the wishbone, and under the subframe and just pushed down till it pops out. Done them on every car i've had the pleasure of bottom baljoint popping. Should be easier on a mk3 than a 2 as one of the mk3 bushes is the opposite direction to the other (unlike mk2's). If you are not seriously overstretching the bush, you should be fine.

So with the front bearing out and the coil-spring replaced I turned my attention to the brake pipes. I said previously that the front ones looked rusty.

Well, the rear did too and I found myself removing them all one afternoon. It was a very frustrating job underneath as I didn't have the car up high enough and the ground I was working on was of mud and road chippings so it wasn't possible to slide my trolley around.

Rust dropping in eyes, bumps to head and soggy clothing added to the depressing aesthetics of a rusty underbody made for a demoralising experience.

I also couldn't get the N/S/F pipe off as it was very tight on top of the ABS module and there wasn't very good access as it is situated under the servo.

I tried to get some free play for the N/S/R pipe by removing the LHS fuel-tank strap which involved loosening an underbody heatshield to get at the strap but it still snapped as I was wiggling it out. The O/S/R is a lot shorter but wouldn't come out from above the crossmember so I gave up for the day.

The job would be a lot easier with the engine and rear subframe out but that's maybe taking things too far...

So. It was Thursday night that I got the pipes off.... but there were still two to come off so I returned to it on Sunday afternoon after some reading of the manual which suggested that taking the servo off isn't a job likely to cause any problems (ie disturbing seals or something) so I wrestled that out. Basically if you can undo the two 13mm union nuts on the M/C, pull off some hoses and push out the 'R' clip & white nylon clevis pin it comes off and you can get good access to the top of the ABS unit.

As this is aluminium and the brake pipe unions are steel they seemed to be very tough to budge. If something snaps or strips you'd be looking at a replacement ABS unit

The split ring spanner I was using was just rounding the union nut and I considered cutting the pipe off close to the union and putting a socket on it to get max grip but as I couldn't find my 11mm socket right then had the bizarre idea to run a full ring spanner along from the other end (ie the wheelwell) past the various bends and obstacles to the ABS unit. It worked

It was then time to wrestle out the O/S/R. After a half hour or so of trying to wiggle it free I just snapped the end of and dragged it out. Part of the reason for trying to get it out in one piece was to save the shape for making up the copy but that's a bit dumb as I won't be able to get that back in over the crossmember.

Anyway. I folded them all up (not tightly) and stuck them in my rucksack to examine/measure the following day and go and get new ones made up at the local motor-factors.

Also finished off the night Googling re Mondeo subframes. Seems they aren't too hard to remove and even more surprisingly you can get re-furbished ones for about £60. Tempting.....

disconnect this pipe from servo (push fit)

separating these two gives a little extra room for manouvre

as does moving aside air filter top casing, by removing 3 screws

nuts holding servo to this bracket are reachable but it is also connected to arm inside bracket with clevis pin. not easy to get to and will be even harder to replace

hope this rust on strut tops doesn't fail MoT

removing/replacing rear brake pipes would be easy if crossmember removed but these bolts look seized solid

So, Monday came and I spent the early part of the afternoon measuring, re-measuring and re-measuring all the brake pipes before approaching the motor factors. All the time thinking of the time I got some done for my Polo and had to watch the guy 'measuring' them whilst talking to his mate on a wintery Saturday PM. I got to my garage with them, about 10 miles away from the shop, to find some of them about a foot short and I had no transport to get back there

I was determined this wouldn't happen again. In case anyone is interested here are the specs:

N/S/F: 60cm - 2 male fittings

O/S/F: 117cm - 1 male & 1 female fitting

N/S/R: 166cm - 2 male

O/S/R: 114cm - 1 male & 1 female

N/S/Fr-Rr: 345cm - 2 female

O/S/Fr-Rr: 299cm - 2 male

brake pipes to be unfurled and measured

So. I set off on the bicycle with my rusty pipes and the stats to find the shop which I used to go to is now a nail salon, I then popped round to the motor factors that I got the wheel bearing from and it was no can do there but with a suggestion that an MoT station could make them for me. I then cycled into the next town to try another place I used to get them. Now an estate agents.

So I headed back to the garage and the landlord and his labourer were saying 'big Jim could make them up for you etc, have a beer blah blah blah'. I protested I wanted to achieve something with my day (ie fit the front wheel bearing) but I was soon drinking with them. They retired about 9 and doing the bearing seemed a bit unrealistic so I turned to the subframe.

Rather surprisingly all the rusty bolts came out no problem and the unit was soon wiggled out which will make re-fitting the pipes a lot easier - if I ever get any!

rusty bolt

another rusty bolt

amazed at how clean the bolts connecting lower-arms the rear-knuckles were

subframe-to-body bolts weren't too bad either

once detached I pulled unit out to one side

which allowed other side to drop below strut/knuckle....

.....and be pulled out. NB unit is not as heavy as Haynes manual suggests

would be nice to have it powdercoated

exhaust needs to be lowered to get crossmember out. was sufficient to unhook from rubbers and rest on something to avoid strain up at CAT end

Don't forget if your car will be off road for an extended period of time to look after the battery.
If you don't periodically charge it while in storage it can get damaged or fail.
A bad battery is the last thing you want as you try to start car on completion.